Broadway Malyan worked closely with Ingka Centres, part of the Ingka Group which also includes Ikea, to develop the new ‘Meeting Place’ concept, of which there are currently almost 50 planned or being developed across Europe, India and the Far East.
The first of Ingka Centre’s new ‘Meeting Place’ retail destinations to be developed in western China has been launched to the public.
Livat Xi’an, for which Broadway Malyan provided a range of services including architectural, interior and landscape design as well as branding, is a 170,000sqm complex on the edge of the 1,700 hecatre Yunna Park and has been designed to provide a rich and authentic visitor experience beyond traditional retail destinations.
The new Meeting Place has been developed under the new Livat brand, a Swedish word that means ‘a lively happening’ and reflects Ingka Centre’s vision to create a better everyday life by providing easy access to wellbeing, a sustainable lifestyle and belonging, while meeting everyday needs.
While each of the new Meeting Place concepts are anchored by an Ikea store and Livat Xi’an is home to more than other 400 stores, the Meeting Place vision is to create contemporary and vital places that are rooted in the character of their communities yet with Ingka’s unique Scandinavian values and influence, creating something that is genuine and authentic.
As well as retail, Livat Xi’an heavily focuses on supporting sustainable lifestyles with a wide range of sports, leisure and hospitality facilities as well as new workplace environments and healthcare provision.
Livat Xi’an also sets a new sustainability benchmark for retail developments with the entire scheme powered by geothermal energy and solar panels while the centre also has 770 electric vehicle charging points.
